This invention relates to a method of charging for services, to a network node, and to gateway nodes.
The invention starts from a conventional method of charging for transmission services in telephone networks as is described, for example, in the "Lehrbuch der Fernmeldetechnik", Vol. 1, 5th Edition, 1986, Fachverlag Schiele & Schobn GmbH, Berlin, pages 614 to 620.
The charging for a telephone call is controlled by the local exchange of the subscriber who initiated the call. Based on the called number, the time of day, and the day of the week, a tariff to be assigned to the call is determined. A metering pulse rate corresponding to this tariff is determined, and according to the metering pulse rate, metering pulses are sent from the local exchange over the subscriber line to the subscriber's terminal. Based on the received metering pulses, the subscriber's terminal then computes the charges currently accumulated for the call. Furthermore, the local exchange computes the call charge from the tariff determined and the call duration.
If part of the connection was set up through a telephone network of another network operator, as is the case with an international call, for example, the network operator who charges the call to the subscriber must pay a charge to the other network operator for using this section of the circuit. The balancing of accounts between the network operators takes place during postprocessing, i.e., the charge data are collected at the end of a month, for example, and evaluated by means of a computer.
This conventional charging method has the disadvantage that more flexible tariff models are difficult to implement, and that telecommunications services which are provided in telephone networks of other network operators and go beyond a pure transmission service cannot be billed together with the transmission service.